"Better Place" is a song by American vocal group NSYNC. It was released on September 29, 2023 through RCA as the lead single from the soundtrack of the film Trolls Band Together, in which band member Justin Timberlake voices the character Branch. He produced the song with Shellback and the two wrote it alongside Amy Allen. It serves as NSYNC's first release after a hiatus that lasted over twenty years and follows the release of their fourth studio album, Celebrity (2001).
Release and promotion
Over two weeks before the release of the song, the band members put out a behind-the-scenes video, in which it showed the members recording their parts for the song. A trailer video was also released, which included a pre-save link for the song and confirmed its release date. Rumors of an NSYNC reunion have previously circulated after numerous posters of the film Trolls Band Together were spotted in New York City, which included the first letter of the band's logo and a QR code to the website TakeYouToABetterPlace.com to give a teaser of the song. The band reunited at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, prior to the song's release on September 29, 2023. However, the song and film were reportedly not promoted by the band due to the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.
Composition and lyrics
"Better Place" is a pop song that is reminiscent of NSYNC's previous music from the late 1990s and early 2000s and is built on a disco pop instrumental as Timberlake, Chasez, Fatone, Kirkpatrick, and Bass sing the chorus: "Just let me take you to a better place / I'm gonna make you kiss the sky tonight / Yeah, if you let me show the way / I'm so excited to see you excited". Timberlake first recorded a demo of the song in early 2023 before deciding to reunite the band and record it together, with the film's plot being considered a "perfect confluence" to carry that narrative.
Commercial performance
"Better Place" debuted at number twenty-five on the Billboard Hot 100, tying the group's highest debut on the chart with their debut single, "I Want You Back". It became their thirteenth Hot 100 entry, and eleventh top 40 appearance, and first since their previous single "Girlfriend" released in 2002.
Music video
A lyric video featuring characters from the Trolls Band Together movie was released on YouTube. A fan documentary was then also shared on YouTube highlighting five of the group's biggest fans to star in the music video for "Better Place". It showcased the fans standing in for the band members and becoming *NSYNC as they perform choreography from the movie.
Credits and personnel
NSYNC
Justin Timberlake – vocals, songwriting, production, beatboxing
Chris Kirkpatrick – vocals
JC Chasez – vocals
Lance Bass – vocals
Joey Fatone – vocals
Shellback – production, songwriting, guitar, bass, percussion, keyboards, drum machine, whistling, programming Amy Allen – songwriting Anna Bylund – flute Teresia Alm – oboe Wojtek Goral – baritone saxophone Tomas Jonsson – tenor saxophone Mattias Johansson – trumpet, French horn, violin Helena Stjernstrom – English horn Peter Noos Johansson – trombone Janne Bjerger – fluegelhorn David Bukovinsky – cello David Bergström – violin Hanna Helgegren – violin Erik Arvinder – violin Robert Mollard – tambourine Kasper Komar – tambourine Mattias Bylund – synthesizer, editing, recording Karl Gunér – synthesizer Serban Ghenea – mixing Randy Merrill – mastering Chris Godbey – recording Bryce Bordone – assistant engineering Eric Eylands – assistant engineering
Charts
Release history
References
2023 singles
2023 songs
NSYNC songs
Songs written by Justin Timberlake
Songs written by Shellback (record producer) Songs written by Amy Allen (songwriter) Songs written for animated films Song recordings produced by Justin Timberlake Song recordings produced by Shellback (record producer) Trolls (franchise)